Virgilio+SimpeloLBF


 * Executive Summary**

Through Survey Monkey’s browsing feature I selected 20 respondents under the age of twelve. I entered the respondents in a filter and was able to analyze their responses in detail. 12 out of 20 were female and 8 out of 20 were male. I scrolled through their various responses, especially the written commentary to include detailed information that would be pertinent to the analysis. I decided to use this age group because it gives feedback how adults can alter teaching to connect to youth.


 * What Makes Learning Boring?**

What I gathered from majority of the responses, learning is particularly boring when having to remain still and performing factual learning. No matter the content, it seemed that respondents experienced boredom when they were expected to just solve problems or summarize stories on paper. Respondents did not react positively to mundane tasks that did not allow them some type of control over their own learning. A periodic complaint revealed that instruction was not clear or difficult to understand what was expected. This issue could be the result of new complex concepts or substitute teachers who taught differently from their normal teachers. Examples given by respondents: This respondent described that the teacher had not moved from their desk and instructed that they summarize from their textbook about the 13 colonies. Sitting and reading test material not being able to move or talk for the entire day was boring. The respondent even suggested adding more days of testing at shorter intervals. This can also contribute to students who are expected to sit still and listen. One respondent stated that students were not even given the opportunity to respond or get involved with the lesson content.
 * • Writing** (summarizing textbook)
 * • State testing**
 * • No interaction with others**


 * What Makes Learning Fun?**

The majority of responses leaned toward activities and hands on learning that made learning fun for this age group. From the information given, the respondents reacted positively to learning when lessons involved students interacting with their learning environment or touching their subject matter. It seems that learning is optimal and fun when students actively apply the knowledge in the moment. • Hands on projects (being able to see change) Science projects that used dissection or growth phases (e.g. caterpillars to butterflies) stuck with the respondent, as they were able to participate in maintaining the live specimens. The ability to move was consistent in this age group. Field trips were also a major fun factor in learning where the respondents could move around and interact with the environment. A respondent recounted a time when they were in a flight simulator with a coach. Being put in the situation where they interacted others, made the learning experience enriching because they did it on their own. One respondent recalled their teacher using candy bars with fractions rather than just writing the problems on paper. Since the candy bars were already segmented, it was easier for the student to understand visually the concept of fractions.
 * • Being able to move**
 * • Interactive learning** (simulations, group projects)
 * • Using identifiable objects with delivery method**


 * Implications**

This data analysis was encouraging because it enforced what I already practiced. Fun is of course based on age or interest, but the answers the respondents provided can be made relevant to anything. My personal teaching style and philosophy is to connect the content to the students’ lives as close as possible. That is why it is important to stay current in everyday events and trends so that you can modify course content for students. Giving students of all age’s activities where they can apply concepts is usually productive because it gives the learner a sense of ownership and life experience to a problem.